Art beat: Concert

Budding vocalists

Members of the Lyon Children's Choir return to China for a performance at the Forbidden City Concert Hall.

Six years ago, Lyon Children's Choir (La Cigale de Lyon) from France won a standing ovation for its widely acclaimed performances across China. The choir is in China again and will perform at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing on July 29.

It will wow the audience with songs such as Kite and On the Way from Oscar winning movie The Choir Boys. The talented children are also set to sing Michael Jackson's iconic song Heal the World and French Chanson Brussels and Music Box.

The Lyon Children's Choir was founded in 1947 by Professor Christian Wagner and its members belong to choirs in Lyon, France's third largest city. It has won top honors in international choral competitions in Tours, Debrecen and Lausanne.

2 pm and 7:30 pm, July 29. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west of Tian'anmen Square, Beijing. 010-6559-8285, 6559-8306.

Voices from Oxford

The Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Oxford University, one of the oldest and most prestigious choirs in the world, will tour China in August, covering Beijing, Guangzhou in Guangdong province and Shenzhen.

The choir was formed almost 500 years ago, at the cathedral, filmed as Hogwarts in Harry Potter. It comprises 12 men and 16 boys.

Audience will be treated to a singing journey starting from Pastime with Good Company composed by Henry VIII, king of England 500 years ago, to Broadway musical selections and pop soundtracks in movies Harry Potter series and Alice in Wonderland.

After launching the chorus festival at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Aug 2, the choir will stage performances at Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou on Aug 4 and at Shenzhen Concert Hall on Aug 5.

7:30 pm, Aug 2. Concert Hall, National Center for the Performing Arts, 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000.

Plan B tours China

Plan B has been an important force on Australia's rock bar scene since the early 1980s. Its first album, Second Time Around, was promoted strongly by the press, which led to several tours in many cities in Australia.

The band has recorded three albums and in early 2010 and 2011, it carried out two successful tours in Vietnam and Cambodia.

9 pm-11:30 pm, July 31. Yuyintang, 851 Kaixuan Road, Changning district, Shanghai. 021-5237-8662.

Youth and music

The 100 members of the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) are among the finest pre-professional musicians with members from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Chosen through highly competitive auditions held throughout the region, they get together for six weeks each summer, initially for a three-week Summer Festival and Rehearsal Camp in Hong Kong, then for a three-week international concert tour with celebrated conductors and solo artists.

7:30 pm, Aug 15. Concert Hall, 425 Dingxiang road, Pudong district, Shanghai. 021-6854-1234.

Italian recital

Born in Naples, Italy, Mariangela Vacatello is an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, who has won many prizes and awards, such as the 2009 Top of the World International Piano Competition.

She made her debut when she was 14, performing Liszt's First Piano Concerto with the Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra in Milan. Since then, she has appeared as a soloist at the most prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, such as the Berlin Konzerthaus and Wigmore Hall in London.

7:45 pm, July 27, Performance Hall, 425 Dingxiang road, Pudong district, Shanghai. 021-6854-1234.